Of course not. But situations like WWII – where American troops played the role of liberators from absolutely evil regimes as well as defenders of their homeland against a real threat – are extremely rare, historically. Most wars, even most American wars, are fought for power and profit and advantage and the national interest, not to make (foreign) people’s lives better, and I don’t see that changing in the near future.
Well, whatever. I don’t see where intent enters into it – I’d argue that even WWII was fought out of self-interest. Saving the oppressed was a side-effect. But the point is the two are not mutually exclusive. Specifics and probablilities are another question.
The point is, when you make a decision to join the United States Army in this day and age, you are not making a decision to spend your working life helping foreigners to get “a chance at a better life,” which is what the new Army recruiting ads imply.
The Marines must actively make the weirdest commercials they can or something, because along with that weird dragon-slaying one (which I’m pretty sure was on the air for about a decade), they run that stupid climbing-the-mountain one.
Nothing, though, is worse than the awful, awful Army National Guard CGI commercial that they showed about seven times during every commercial break on every channel earlier this year. The one where they shove the missle that says “Let’s Rock” in your face and you watch the creepy ass poorly-animated CGI people graduate from college and jump out of helicopters and shit.
“In the Army National Guard: You Can!”
Well, obviously their mileage varies.
Have you read any of the numerous blogs from troops currently stationed in Iraq? It really isn’t blood and gore 24/7.
A teenager who thinks that they are going to escape from authority by joining the Army is Daniel walking into the lions’ den.
I remember thinking the same thoughts, and being in the same situation as Ex-Tank, all the way down to the pushups. The purpose of the extreme discipline of Basic is to prepare soldiers for the battlefield, and some teenagers who think they are just going in for job training get the shock of their life- and some don’t get over it.
Recruiters have to hide the truth from the ones on the fence to make sure they get their quota of recruits. Look at what they have to compete with- the people they want are well adjusted and physically in top shape, and these people have the most options open to them- athletic and academic scholarships, business offers, and the like.
The one thing you won’t hear in the recruiter’s office is the daily body count.
BrainGlutton, please don’t take this as a personal insult. I’m kind of surprised about something, though.
In many other threads you mention a fear of losing your rights, Bush becoming a dictator, etc. Now you Pit the Army. The ARMY! You do realize Bush has authority to use the military right? You realize the Army has the majority of guns, bombs, missles, tanks, et al, right? If you believe Bush is really evil and are right, I suppose we’ll soon notice a serious decline in your posting. 
Bwahahaha!!
Man, I SO want this to be my sig line…
[quote]
Originally Posted by cricetus I think it’s interesting that in these ads, they portray the parents as reluctant to their sons and daughters joining the military… like enlisting in the armed forces is an act of rebellion.{/quote] For many people, it is. My own parents were supportive of my brother and I joining the service – but then, my dad was a retired Navy Warrant Officer. I knew a number of people whose parents were very, VERY opposed to their kids joining up. I knew one guy, for instance, whose mother was so furious she didn’t write to him while he was in boot camp and, basically, gave him the silent treatment for the first year or so he was in. My brother-in-law didn’t want my nephew to join the Marines – so much so that he considered boycotting Kyle’s boot camp graduation (my sister convinced him to come, though). We had a neighbor a few years ago who attempted to bribe their son not to join the Marines. My son will be leaving for boot camp in 16 days and, among his Delayed Entry Program cronies, there are several who joined against their parent’s stated wishes.
The thing is, back in the time they had good, if idiosyncratic, ads. Heck, the “sword” ads series started as just a good metaphor for training, in the forging of the blade (*Take raw steel… purify it with fire… shape it with muscle and sweat… polish it to a fine, hardened edge – *then the sword is taken by the Marine who just raises it in salute – we’re looking for a Few Good Men, with the “mettle” to be Marines. OK, so the pun would be lost on most of the target audience, but it was not bad). Then apparently the drugs started kicking in at the ad agency.
And yes, the CGI ads are peculiar…
No, no, Bush won’t make himself a dictator, I’ve never suggested he can. He jokes about it, but our constitutional machinery is too strong. 
Now excuse me, somebody just knocked on my door . . .
As a retired soldier, I respectfully disagree. Most soldiers have authority over some part of the universe. They are in charge of it and they are held responsible for it. Even higher-ranking people respect that authority (usually, at least).
If you are the PFC in charge of the supply room, you can (perhaps for the first time in your life) take charge of something.
I cannot think of any employer who gives young people so much authority so quickly.